Saturday, May 25, 2013

The House approves Keystone Pipeline Bill

House Republicans attempted to push through approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline Wednesday, passing a bill that would circumvent the need for a special permit from President Barack Obama.

The bill, which passed by a vote of 241 to 175, marks the latest GOP effort to expedite approval for the 1,200-mile pipeline, which has been under review by the U.S. government since 2008.

The bill, largely symbolic, has little chance of becoming law. Senate Democrats are expected to oppose any measure that disrupts an ongoing review of Keystone and the White House on Tuesday threatened to veto the bill, saying the measure "prevents the thorough consideration of complex issues."

The Keystone XL pipeline would stretch from Alberta to Nebraska, where it would link up with other pipeline networks and create a passage for Canadian oil to reach refineries in the U.S. Gulf Coast. The pipeline would be capable of transporting 830,000 barrels of oil a day.

The House bill eliminates the need for a special permit from Mr. Obama and declares a 2011 environmental review of Keystone sufficient to meet legal requirements.

Republicans have criticized Mr. Obama for the time it has taken to review Keystone, now totaling more than 1,700 days. They say the pipeline's construction will create jobs and reduce the U.S.'s dependence on oil from Venezuela and the Middle East.